City’s first skate park to be built at Madison’s Central Park

Preliminary rendering of future Madison Skatepark. Rendering is an example of the style of park being planned but is not the final design.

MADISON, Wis. -

Dane County officials announced a recommendation of a $200,000 grant has been approved to help build Madison’s first outdoor concrete skate park, according to a release.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi made the announcement Monday at Madison’s Central Park, the proposed future site of the skate park, according to the release.

The county’s $200,000 PARC grant for the Madison Skatepark Fund would help the group construct an outdoor concrete area for skaters of all skill levels, styles and ages, according to the release.

Preliminary plans for the skate park include an artificial street course that makes up 75 percent of the park, and a pool section with gentle transitions that range from three to eight feet deep, according to the release.

"Madison’s first skate park will benefit our outdoor recreation economy and help even more people get connected with this popular sport," Parisi said in the release.

Skateboarding has grown steadily in popularity -- Dane County communities Mount Horeb, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee and Middleton all have skate parks, according to the release.

"A skate park is an economic driver as well," said John Hendrick, District 6 supervisor. "A regional attraction like this will bring people into this area to patronize local businesses and, something that I think is less appreciated, having a skate park is one of those hip amenities that will signal to entrepreneurs and to companies that they should bring high tech jobs into our community."

Officials said with the Dane County Parks Commission grant, the City of Madison, and the Tony Hawk Foundation, the Madison Skatepark fund is two-thirds of the way to raising the funds needed.

The Madison Skatepark Fund is continuing to raise money for the completion of their $750,000 project, according to the release. PARC money awarded to the approved projects is matched on the local level by a local unit of government and/or by the organization requesting the grant.

"By no means are we finished," said Patrick Hasburgh, Madison Skatepark Fund spokesman. "We still have about $250,000 to raise so there’s still a lot of ramp to climb."